


Live For Somebody Else

by Jasandmonty



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Downworlder Politics, Gen, Injury, Poor Simon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-05
Updated: 2016-12-05
Packaged: 2018-09-06 15:31:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8758582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jasandmonty/pseuds/Jasandmonty
Summary: Simon felt as though he had just witnessed something out of a superhero movie. He needed some way to repay Magnus, not only for saving a newly initiated Downworlder like himself but also for trusting him with her life.  So Simon made him some soup and put a blanket over him.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I love Magnus and Simon's friendship and all the possibilities of what might be in season 2! So here's some classic downworlder bonding
> 
> (the title is from Dead Sea by the Lumineers, a great Magnus & Simon song)
> 
> You can check me out on tumblr and sent prompts to @kindasimonish

Simon had thought that living with Magnus would be awkward. 

After all, he didn’t know Magnus entirely well. He only knew him as the powerful warlock that patched the Shadowhunters up and caused quite a bit of drama in the Lightwood family. Simon was convinced that Magnus had only offered to let him live there to be polite and that eventually, Magnus would gently break the news to Simon that he needed to go.

Simon understood. He had a bag packed in his closet just in case. 

But Simon was pleasantly surprised to learn that Magnus was a chill guy. He didn’t scowl at him like the Shadowhunters had and he didn’t taunt him like the vampires had. They had nights where they watched movies together, and Simon enjoyed Magnus’ snarky commentary more than the actual films. Magnus gave him offhanded compliments when he was practicing with his guitar and had even taught Simon how to wash the taste of blood out of his mouth with strong alcohol. 

Of course it was nowhere near like being at home, but Simon could honestly say that it was his favorite temporary housing so far. 

“I’m going to have to take a rain-check on movie night.” Magnus said as he rushed around the apartment, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. When he rolled his sleeves up, Simon had learned, he meant business. 

“What’s up?” Simon asked, watching him dart around like a bee. “Is it a date with Alec? You just did that yesterday.” 

“I know you don’t like having to share me with others,” Magnus teased, “but I actually have to work tonight. A werewolf was stabbed with a silver tipped dagger. The silver broke off into the chest cavity. Critical condition.”

“Luke?” Simon blurted before he really had time to think it through.

“What?” Magnus cast him an incredulous glance. “If Luke were hurt, I’d have told you right away. He’s like your wise old father figure.” 

“You’re like a thousand years older than him.” Simon said in defense of his friend. Magnus didn’t respond, instead using his energy to make the room into a makeshift doctor’s office. He summoned a cot that lay surrounded by tables topped with bottles and potions in the center of the room. 

Simon had learned not to touch the bottles, as they were mostly full of expensive and very elusive ingredients. When he asked Magnus what some of them did, he felt like Magnus occasionally lied about their actual purpose. Simon was convinced that purple liquid couldn’t actually make a person’s cuts heal over in five minutes. 

There was an urgent banging on the front door, and Magnus shot Simon a backwards glance. “You might want to take refuge in your room. This is going to be rough.” 

Simon knew that he should probably get out. He saw enough blood in his daily meals and wasn’t exactly keen on watching someone bleed out on Magnus’ floor. 

But then the patient was rushed in and Simon’s breath caught in his throat because it was just a kid. 

She was no more than twelve or thirteen years old. She had dark black hair that looked a bit like Isabelle’s and she was wearing high-top sneakers that dangled from the arms of the older woman who carried her inside. 

“She’s been convulsing.” The older woman reported tearfully to Magnus as he gently transferred the kid to the cot. “And she stopped responding to me nearly a half hour ago.” 

“Whenever she moves, the shard gets closer to her heart. I’m going to have to restrain her.” Magnus said. His voice was calm, but he spoke with authority. “What’s her name?” 

“Kaya.” 

“That’s pretty.” Magnus murmured, his eyes shifting up to the woman. “And you’re in her pack?” 

The woman nodded. “She’s just been turned recently. She’s trying to adjust to the whole thing, learn the order. She didn’t know not to go to vampire territory--” 

“Okay.” Magnus cut her off gently and sent a look in Simon’s direction. Simon sat, useless and motionless, on the sofa and watched. He knew that Magnus was probably expecting him to leave, but he didn’t want to. 

This girl was like him. She had had her world changed and she was hurt without even knowing what she’d done wrong. He was not going to hide in his room and pretend she wasn’t there. 

Before Magnus could say anything else, Kaya convulsed again. The warlock muttered a curse and began his work immediately, letting his bright blue magic engulf her entirely. 

Simon couldn’t tear his eyes away. Every time Magnus grit his teeth, Simon grit his. Whenever Magnus smiled, Simon smiled. He was basing his entire analysis off of Magnus’ cues, and the tension was making him feel more human than he had in weeks. 

“Hand me the green bottle labeled 789.” Magnus instructed the woman, who hurried over to the table to search among the mass of potions. Simon could tell that Magnus was getting impatient, that time was running out while the woman frantically moved her hands over the glasses. 

Simon got up without hesitation and hurried to the woman’s side. As Raphael had taught him, he tried to focus on what he needed to see and get his heightened vision to cooperate. It took him a bit longer than it would’ve taken Raphael, but Simon found the bottle relatively quickly. 

“It’s this one.” He said, pressing it into the woman’s hand. She muttered a quick, dry thank you and brushed past him to deliver the bottle to Magnus. 

Despite her dismissal, Simon was now determined to stay and help. Whenever Magnus asked for a bottle, Simon located it within seconds and handed it off. Watching the girl’s convulsions slow and eventually stop only encouraged Simon to move faster. 

“Simon.” Magnus ordered him over after an hour of work. “Hold her down, okay? I need to get the shard out.” 

“He’s a vampire.” The woman interjected suddenly. She was looking at Simon as if he were going to sink his teeth into Kaya’s neck at any second. “Like the ones who attacked her. I don’t want him doing this.” 

“And you’re a werewolf. Just like the one that turned her in the first place.” Magnus snapped. “Simon’s been more helpful than you have the entire time, so I ask that you not let your bigoted opinions get in the way of Kaya’s safety.” 

She didn’t say another word. 

Simon pressed tight on the kid’s legs, using all his strength he could without hurting her. He watched in awe as Magnus, in a blaze of blue sparks and white light, used up every bit of energy and life that he possessed to carefully extract the bit of silver that was no bigger than Simon’s pinky nail. 

Magnus held himself together long enough to patch the kid up, though his face was pale and his hands shook just slightly. 

“She’s okay.” Magnus announced after another half hour of silent work. “You can take her home. Just make sure she’s resting for the next few days and not walking into vampire territory.” 

“Thank you.” The woman said, reaching out to shake Magnus’ hand. He turned away just as she outstretched her arm and Simon kind of wanted to bow down to him. 

“And be sure to explain to her that vampires aren’t evil monsters out to get her.” Magnus muttered. “They just protect their homes.” 

Once they were gone, Magnus was basically lifeless. He trudged just as far as the couch and immediately collapsed to sleep, his makeup smudged and his clothes rumpled. 

Simon felt as though he had just witnessed something out of a superhero movie. He needed some way to repay Magnus, not only for saving a newly initiated Downworlder like himself but also for trusting him with her life. 

So Simon made him some soup and put a blanket over him. 

When Magnus woke up, he seemed a bit more alert but still noticeably drained. He accepted the soup with a small smile and Simon sat beside him on the couch while he ate. 

“This is good.” Magnus said while he drained the soup. “I’ve never had anyone make me food after work before.” 

“Are you this exhausted after every healing session?” Simon asked. He couldn’t even imagine it. 

“I’m essentially transferring all the energy I have into the patient.” Magnus explained. He was never condescending with Simon when he taught him these things, never sounding impatient or degrading. Simon appreciated that. “So, yes. Every time.”

“I could help you.” Simon blurted, voicing the idea that had been in his head for the past few hours while Magnus had slept. “I mean, you’d have to teach me a lot. If you’re even willing to teach me. But it felt good to help her and it felt good to feel…”

“Needed?” Magnus finished for him. “Yeah. I understand.”

“I don’t want to just move from place to place and waste all my time.” Simon continued. “If I have forever I should at least make it count, right? Help people.” 

Magnus stared for a second. He looked a lot less intimidating when his eyeliner was smudged all over his cheek and his hair was tangled and cascading over his eyes. 

“Okay.” He said after another spoonful of soup. “I’ll teach you.”

Simon smiled widely and leaned forward to crush Magnus with a hug. The warlock merely patted his shoulder stiffly before manually pulling the fledgling off. 

“Thank you, Magnus!” He clasped his hands together. “Thank you so much.”

“Right, right.” Magnus waved it away and sat up a bit straighter on the sofa. “First things first. Don’t ever hug me again.”


End file.
